A comparative analysis of Senegalese farm schools: unveiling effective practices for agroecology training

ABSTRACT

This paper assesses the value of agroecological farm schools by analyzing 4 Senegalese cases. Pedagogical quality is measured by: (1) feedback from former learners, (2) acquisition of fundamental knowledge, and (3) professionalization. Beyond globally positive opinions about training, our results show that farm schools display distinct performances. Developing a systemic perspective is not an easy task, but having trainers with more advanced agroecological expertise is an asset. Effective training builds on active pedagogy. Post-training business establishment is facilitated when farm schools create networks in agroecology and/or offer a consequent starter kit. Farm schools could thus contribute to agroecological transitions.

KEYWORDS:

• Farm schools
• agroecology
• knowledge acquisition
• business establishment
• Senegal

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

• SDG 4: Quality education
• SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dominique Morel and Pape Assane Diop for their support in Senegal, as well as the former learners that shared their experiences, opinions and feedback. They shared a slice of their life stories with honesty. Those interviews could not have been done without the visits and interviews with the 13 Senegalese farm schools. The authors warmly thank all the people who gave their time and shared the story of their farm school. They also thank Yves Brostaux and Sébastien Franceschini (from University of Liège, Belgium) for their advice on statistical analysis. For methodology support, they express gratitude to Nathalie Corade from ‘Bordeaux sciences Agro’ (France). This research project was funded through a mobility grant from University of Liège (Belgium). Finally, Mireille De Graeuwe personally thanks Timothée Collin for his unconditional help in clarifying and structuring her ideas.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics approvals

Ethics Committee for the Humanities and Social Sciences of University of Liège (Belgium) approved the scientific process (Reference:“2022–04”).

Notes

1. For example, the Belgian NGO “Humundi” (previously called “SOS Faim”) is financing the farm school SAIN in Benin; GIZ (German International Cooperation Agency) is financing Ourokale farm school in Senegal (since 2022) and the foundation Biovision is financing the “Agroecology Centre in Tanzania” through their NGO partner Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT).

2. https://www.cirad.fr/espace-presse/communiques-de-presse/2020/agroecologie-senegal-politiques-publiques

3. All trainers have a university background or have at least 5 years professional experience in agroecology.

4. This network brings together organizations of producers, consumers, rural women, NGOs, research institutions, civil society networks, a network of local elected officials, businesses, and others.